The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Heater systems are used in exhaust systems that are coupled to an internal combustion engine in order to assist in the reduction of the undesirable release of various gases and other pollutant emissions into the atmosphere. These exhaust systems typically include various after-treatment devices, such as diesel particulate filters (DPF); a catalytic converter; selective catalytic reducers (SCR) that capture carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matters (PMs), and unburned hydrocarbons (HCs) contained in the exhaust gas; a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC); a lean NOx trap (LNT); an ammonia slip catalyst; or reformers, among others. The heaters may be activated periodically or at a predetermined time to increase the exhaust temperature and activate the catalysts and/or to burn the particulate matters or unburned hydrocarbons that have been captured in the exhaust system.
The electric heaters are generally installed in exhaust pipes or components such as containers of the exhaust system and are subjected to harsh environmental conditions, such as vibration, mechanical shock, temperature cycling, high heat, etc.